27 proposals to avoid new fiascos

1. SOFOOT.com
2. // France
3. // TV rights

Started last June, the parliamentary inquiry aimed to shed light on the failure of the Téléfoot channel. It ended on Wednesday and brings its share of recommendations. We were able to consult them and here are the ones to remember.

By Pierre Rondeau Modified 56 REACTIONSShow rightShow bottomFACEBOOKTWITTERThe main proposals of the parliamentary report on TV rights For several months, MPs Régis Juanico (Génération.s) and Cédric Roussel (LREM) have interviewed around fifty people, law in sports economics to French and European football leaders. Their objective was clear, it was necessary to find a person responsible, a culprit in this long Mediapro episode and, above all, to establish a new map, a new way of doing things, so that the bankruptcy of a broadcaster, and all the setbacks that this can cause , never happens again.

More guarantees during free-to-air bidding and matches

As a result, no less than 27 proposals were made. The deputies, members of the Cultural Affairs Committee, want to revolutionize the sale and organization of television rights. First important point, the reinforcement of the financial guarantees, in order to avoid that, again, an insolvent actor can apply during calls for tenders. Thus, they wish to impose "the payment of a systematic deposit of 10% of the value of the contract at the conclusion of the call for tenders" and "to promote the independent guarantee at the first request from a first-class banking establishment rank " . In other words, if you want to apply, you have to prove that you have the means. In addition, from now on, if these proposals are followed, the LFP will have the obligation to take out insurance “to cover the risk of default in payment” and to warn of a new Mediapro. Also, the contracts will go from a duration of 4 to 5 years, a request repeated several times by the channels auditioned. broadcast one match per day on free-to-air channels, to ensure free broadcasting to “support the exposure of national football”. Along the same lines, MEPs are proposing the creation of a “highlights” bundle to ensure the dissemination of goals and extracts from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 on social networks, and a “streaming” bundle for “s' adapt to changing uses and expand the subscriber base”.

Reforms in favor of clubs

On professional clubs specifically, the report supports the creation of an initial contract of 5 or even 6 years in order to avoid the “phenomenon of talent drain”. Request already made many times by the leaders of French football. The president of the LFP, Vincent Labrune, had also submitted the idea to the senators, during his hearing, on Wednesday, December 8th. He also went in the direction of the parliamentary report since there also appears the desire for a salary cap, around 60 to 70% of the total budget, and a cap on the workforce at 25 players. As for taxation, the deputies Juanico and Roussel recommend "a reduction in the rate of social security contributions of the employer for the first professional contracts" and "a degressive modulation until the age of 24 of the rate of social security contributions of the employer for players extending their first professional contract with their training club”. In other words, less taxes to support the competitiveness of French football.

Help France TV and women's football

Finally, in all the other remaining proposals, we can retain the restoration of advertising after 8 p.m. on the antennas of France Télévisions during sports events, in order to ensure profitability for the public broadcaster and allow it to position itself on certain rights. We also have the request for the creation of a minimum public audiovisual service for the broadcasting of sport on public channels or even a "substantial increase" in the allocation granted to the National Sports Agency for audiovisual production, in particular in favor of women's sports. Let's hope now that all these proposals, if they really contribute to improving and protecting football, are debated and heard by all the players, that some can be voted on and ratified. Otherwise, all this will have been for nothing. By Pierre Rondeau Have you noticed a typo or an inaccuracy in this paper? Submit a correction to our editors.Edited